Esiason: Don’t Count Out Bradford, Rams

[Yamahopper]

If Bradford comes to camp able to play next year he will be the starter. There is no QB in the draft that can beat out Bradford at even 90% in his first camp. The year after maybe, No one on the roster now can beat him out either. Unless Peyton Manning wants to finish his career as a Ram don't look for a upgrade in FA.
The problem with Bradford coming back as a backup is if he is still the best QB then you just sold the rest of the players down the river. They more than anyone else know who gives them the best chance to win.
So this gets down to a choice.
If they can get what they know to be the real deal QB in the draft they take him and cut bait with Sam.
Or they keep Bradford and the chance he can come back and take a 1b QB in hopes he can either step in for Bradford by midseason and push him or replace him the next.
Snisher has some thinking to do.
This is why I wanted Bortels.

 

[iced]

Are you basing that on what people here say or the real world? No one- and I mean no one- that I've talked to outside of this place says they want to bring him back. He had his chances. Sometimes you just need to move on.

Lol and all I've heard is what I have said. The only people I've seen making those kind of knee jerk-cut him now responses are on message boards

 

[Robocop]

wow how about Boomer havent heard any other "experts" talk like that

 

[Ramatik]

Plan B was Hill. After that, they had essentially nothing(Davis, Gilbert)- and this didn't come out of nowhere. Many of us were worried about this very thing which is why many wanted to trade down from 2 so badly so we had an extra first next year. Heck, some of us even debated whether to take Bridgewater at 13 or somewhere close. If Bradford is Plan B next year, they're idiots or have a gambling problem. Second ACL surgeries aren't as successful and take longer to heal. They don't even know if he'll be able to play next season so if they're planning on him being the backup, they'd better have a backup to the backup, as well. If Bradford is their Plan A for next season, God help them.

Who is this "many" and "all those I talk to"?

Are you some kind of representative or something? Union Boss? Congressman?

The Royal "We"?

I talk to a lot of people as well. (I usually don't reference them when I'm trying to make a point.) And most of them are actually pretty apathetic. If Bradford comes back fine, healthy, slinging it, ... then fine. If we draft another quarterback, then fine. But they know that pushes everything down the road. (most understand the fairy tale stories like Warner and Russell just don't happen all the time)

 

[AZRamsFan93]

I'm not 100% sure that Sam will not be back at some point with the Rams - as a starter.
Just don't think it's likely.

I agree. I think his story here is over.

 

[AZRamsFan93]

Why would it be awkward? Why would people not buy tickets? The guy was lighting it up. If he comes back he'll be competing with someone - be it a rookie, a back up and a vet so we'll be well covered if he does go down again and if he can sign a team friendly incentive laden deal I'm all for it. I'm also pretty confident he'd beat out most guys in camp and win the starter job as well. Give Sam a Chance!

I don't believe Sam will play anywhere in 2015. The surgeon I heard discuss this said that he would most likely take 1 year as a minimum to rehab a 2nd tear of the same ACL. That means he won't be available for OTAs or camp, and if he does come back it will be rushing it.

I think Sam's career as a Rams player is done.

 

[RamWoodie]

Here's the bottom line. Bradford is NOT a "big head guy"...and he's no where near finish as a Ram. Instead of trying to predict things...it's best to just wait.

There's more time for the surgery to happen along with rehab...and speaking of the surgery, suppose they get in there and see it's not as bad as they thought?

It's best to wait and see.

 

[reggae]

I hope he is just as long as he has serious competition. It's gotta be on the cheap though.

Well, what happens of he comes nack to play out the final year of his deal? I don't understand the absolutism of "it has to be on the cheap". None of us get a say.

 

[OldRock]

I just don't want a Warner throw away 2.0.

 

[RaminExile]

I just don't want a Warner throw away 2.0.

If we let Sam go I can just see him go on and do a Drew Brees somewhere else you know. I'd hate to know we had that talent and let him walk.

 

[RamzFanz]

Well, what happens of he comes nack to play out the final year of his deal? I don't understand the absolutism of "it has to be on the cheap". None of us get a say.

He's injury prone. No one in their right mind would pay out his contract if they didn't have to. That was my opinion. Have your say all you want.

 

[A.J. Hicks]

This feels so much like the Drew Brees in San Diego situation. I've always had some feeling that Bradford's career would play out in some way similar to that. I was optimistic he would be the Rams man, at the same time, I could always see him finally breaking through when he went to the right team with the right situation. Albeit it did look like this season the Rams were finally going to have the right situation for him. Really made me hurt for Sam.

Say they bring in a first round QB this coming year and also keep Bradford, whether on his original deal or cheaper. If Bradford is ready there is no doubt in my mind that he will win the starting job. SO, if he stays healthy he could have a very productive year for us (I said could). That leaves the Rams in a similar position to the Chargers when Brees got injured and they let him walk in favor of Philip Rivers.

 

[reggae]

He's injury prone. No one in their right mind would pay out his contract if they didn't have to. That was my opinion. Have your say all you want.

Ok, I will express my opinion. Thank you very much. Though in reality I am entitled to it. But thanx anyways. Sam will be back next year because it would be cap suicide if he weren't. And realistically we do have to pay out his contract. I do expect we go QB in the first or second round. As an insurance policy.

 

[Mojo Ram]

He's got a great arm, I am still on the fence about what to do myself. If we can get him back for cheap, on a reduced salary, then yeah, bring him back. A healthy Bradford is going to beat out any rookie for the starting job. But I still think we have to draft someone high next year. If Sam stays healthy, and we've got to sit a first round QB for a few years, so be it.

+1
Saved me the typing.

 

[RaminExile]

This feels so much like the Drew Brees in San Diego situation. I've always had some feeling that Bradford's career would play out in some way similar to that. I was optimistic he would be the Rams man, at the same time, I could always see him finally breaking through when he went to the right team with the right situation. Albeit it did look like this season the Rams were finally going to have the right situation for him. Really made me hurt for Sam.

Say they bring in a first round QB this coming year and also keep Bradford, whether on his original deal or cheaper. If Bradford is ready there is no doubt in my mind that he will win the starting job. SO, if he stays healthy he could have a very productive year for us (I said could). That leaves the Rams in a similar position to the Chargers when Brees got injured and they let him walk in favor of Philip Rivers.

They did alright with Philip Rivers - but the difficulty is finding the new guy. There are no guarantees when it comes to drafting franchise QBs. I hope we get a good one - and keep Sam but we'll see...I would hate him to go to Philly and light it up and us to take Jameis Winston or someone like that and him be a complete dud.

 

[RamzFanz]

Ok, I will express my opinion. Thank you very much. Though in reality I am entitled to it. But thanx anyways. Sam will be back next year because it would be cap suicide if he weren't. And realistically we do have to pay out his contract. I do expect we go QB in the first or second round. As an insurance policy.

When did I say you weren't entitled to your opinion?

Again, I said if they don't have to. No one would pay him his original contract if they didn't have to.

 

[duckhunter]

I doubt if the Rams make a telling statement about SBs future with the team until the season is over and maybe not until next year's draft. Might use his status as a smoke screen then. Even that is conjecture at best.

They don't know much until they slice his knee open. Don't have a prognosis or a recovery schedule and can't even say Sam is our guy for 15.

Honestly, we don't even know what we got in our current QB crop.

We'll just have to play the games and see.

 

[209RamsFan]

Bradford is done...we can't mortgage our future on this guy....he's done...damaged goods...it's time to move on or continue to suck.

 

[ramsince62]

I'm not 100% sure that Sam will not be back at some point with the Rams - as a starter.
Just don't think it's likely.

Agreed. As has been pointed out, a second ACL requires more time to recover from. Not to mention the regeneration of nerve endings and blood flow to the repaired area. IMO, this is why he came back to soon. Yes, it's hindsight, but other than a few outliers, it normally takes 2 years to actually return to past form, just ask "numnuts III".

Some might argue the exceptions, but add back to back ACL's and you have a recipe for 2 years of recovery before he's REALLY ready to return to full duty. Even then, will his mind wander or be distracted by on coming linemen? It wouldn't surprise me if he developed the Bulger syndrome as a result of this and who would blame him?

So I suspect Esiason is correct, there probably is more to be heard from Bradford, but I doubt seriously as a Ram.

 

[shaunpinney]

Ok, so this year unfortunately we're going with plan B - Shaun Hill, and now that I've calmed down (and sobered up) from the weekend's events, I'm ok with that. Shaun Hill is a GREAT back up QB, who's in the twilight of his career (keep this in mind as I ramble) I've watch Hill on tape and in interviews and he has that air of calm about him, but he's definitely got fire in his belly, and I think being given the reigns excites him, he may even be seeing himself as a Warner Mk 2, and I for one wouldn't blame him. He was brought in for a reason, he was brought in to take over from Sam, if the worst happened, and you know what, it has. But at the right time, not in week 2 or 3 once the team has got comfortable with Sam under centre. The 1's now have Hill under centre and they can win games with him, I have no doubt. We played well with Kellen under centre last year and we won games, or D IS great, our running game IS good, our WR's HAVE stepped up this year and we have a quality vet QB under centre, a mature game manager - it may be what our young rams need, I'd imagine the young guns would be more nervous if we had a rookie or Davis taking over, or even if it was a new QB being brought in - Shaun has been there for a while now, they know what he can do. Now, we can't get away from it, he IS a vet, he, at the most has 2 years playing full time left in him, so he has something to play for my friends...

...which brings me to Sam. Without knowing the extent of the tear its pure speculation how long he'll be out, but for arguments sake, I'm saying he'll be back for next season. IMO, the Rams, will try and re-structure Sam's contract, they have to - it will probably be re-struchtured with on-field bonuses etc, it's what I would do in this situation (I guess similar to what they did with Amendola). Now don't get me wrong, someone may come in and offer him big money, I've read that other GMs and HCs love Sam, and he may walk, but for arguments sake, he stays, at a restructured level of pay, we have hill keep the seat warm for this season, maybe next too, we continue to rebuild the team with quality draft choices, Secondary & O-line, maybe pick up a QB in R2 in 2015/2016 to play behind Hill & Bradford, learn the ropes, learn the offense, so for the next 2 years we have Hill, Hill retires, Sam steps back in under centre in 2016, and ideally plays for another 5-6 years, but if Sam's production or confidence is below par (IMO I don't think this will happen) we've then got a young QB who's ready to step right in...

My reason for thinking that Sam stays a Ram? Snead and Fisher have built this team around Sam. Sam has elite ability and they know it, its just unfortunate that this year he had the team to do it.